Snap-on plastic cover



Nov. 18, 1969 D. F. LUEBS 3,473,473

SNAP-0N PLASTIC COVER Filed July 16. 1968 FIG. I.

u II

. INVENTOR DONALD F. LUEBS BY & E E z A ATTORNEY.

3,478,478 SNAP-N PLASTIC COVER Donald F. Luebs, Carmel, N.Y., assignorto US. Plywood- Champion Papers, Inc., a corporation of New York FiledJuly 16, 1968, Ser. No. 745,244 Int. Cl. E06b 1/32, 3/02 US. Cl. 52-309Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved manufacture and systemwhich comprises an elongated wooden base door or window glazing bead ofa particular geometric configuration in combination with a snap-onplastic cover of a configuration adapted to mate with the wooden bead.

The present invention is concerned with an improved manufacture which,in essence, comprises a base wooden glazing bead adapted to be affixedto a supporting structure such as a standard door so as to aflix inplace an element such as a glass panel or louver in the door. Whiledoors are mentioned throughout for the purpose of description, it is tobe understood that this term encompasses any opening in any structureincluding double-hung windows, picture windows, pasthrough openings, anyopening with or without a closure which is designed to have a finishedaesthetic appearance. Included are furniture and automobile doors andwindows. In combination with the base bead, a plastic snap-on cover isprovided which is designed so as to enable the erector to snap on thecover and thus produce a very pleasing appearance of the bead assemblyin very short construction time. The base bead is of a particular,unique, geometrical configuration so that the lastic cover may bereadily and securely positioned about the bead. Additionally, the colorof the plastic United States Patent 0 cover molding may match, or bedistinctive from, the

door surface or color of the rest of the door.

The manufacture of the present invention may be readily understood byreference to the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the same.

FIGURE 1 illustrates the base bead and snap-on cover in use positioninga glazing such as glass in a standard door.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the base bead showing the configuration andillustrating one preferred set of dimensions. 7

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the flexible snap-on cover again settingforth preferred dimensions that may be used in combination with thedimensions specifically set forth in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a frontal view of the entire door.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 1, glazing is shown positioned in door20 secured by identical base beads 10 and 10' which are affixed to door20 by fasteners 11 and 11'. Snap-on covers and 40' are shown positionedabout base beads 10 and 10' which latter beads are suitably attached todoor 20. (See also FIGURE 4.)

Referring to FIGURE 2, base bead element 10 comprises an elongated woodelement. This base element has a first, or bottom, side 1 and a second,or back, side 2 which second side is perpendicular to the first side 1.The bead has a third or front side 3 and a fourth or top side 4. Topside 4 pitches upwardly from front side 3 to the back or rear side 2.Thus the height of top side 4 above bottom side 1 closest to second side2 is greater than its ice height adjacent third side 3. Wood bead 10 maybe made of any suitable lumber such as inexpensive pine and the like.Base side 1 of the bead is aflixed by suitable means adjacent the doorand the back side 2 is adjacent the material, such as glass, which issecured thereby. The base bead 10 is further characterized by having afirst elongated, rectangular indentation 5 which runs lengthwise and isintermediate back side 2 and top side 4. The bead is furthercharacterized by having a second rectangular indentation between frontside 3 and bottom side 1.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 3, plastic snap-on cover 40 ischaracterized by having a flat surface 41 adapted to be positioned alongthe top surface 4 of wood bed 10. Plastic cover 40 is furthercharacterized by having an inwardly extending hook 42 projectingdownwardly from surface 41 at one edge thereof, and a curved projection43 extending downwardly and inwardly from the other side of surface 41.The respective dimensions are such that hook 42 will seat in firstindentation 5 of bead 10 and the curved projection 43,015 40 willproject around the front side 3 of head 10 and securely seat in thesecond indentation 6, while being held in intimate contact with the edgeof the cutout in the door. The hook 42 by projecting inwardly insuresintimate contact with glass 30 at the uppermost point.

As pointed out heretofore, the bead or base may be of any suitablematerial, such as plastic, metal, fiberboard, hardwood, etc., but ispreferably an inexpensive wood, while the snap-on cover is a plasticcover and may be of any desirable color. The plastic may be of anysuitable material but must be sufiiciently flexible to permit snap-oninstallation, while being sufliciently stiff to insure that it willremain securely in place.

The flexible plastic cover is designed to snap firmly over the visiblesurface of the wood bead thus presenting a finished, aesthetic surfaceand, at the same time, completely concealing the fasteners, such asnails, used to anchor the wood beads. It is to be noted that the designof the plastic cover at the round edge in conjunction with the void leftbehind at this point by the wood beads, permits the cover to act as aspring uncoiling element as it is snapped in place. This results in aclamping action which firmly attaches the cover to the base bead. Inactual application a stock length of the cover is snapped over a stocklength of bead. The assembly is miter-cut in a normal manner to fit theopening being glazed. The cover is removed from each precut assembly andthe glass installed with the wood beads by nailing in the normal manner.The plastic covers are then snapped over their wood counterparts tocomplete the installation. Reglazing or replacing broken glass isaccomplished in a normal manner by prying oif the bead assembly and thenreplacing as in the above sequence.

It is to be noted that no special treatment is required at the corners.If miter-cuts are smooth and accurate as they normally are, a simplebutting results in a tight, clean appearance at the corner. It also isto be noted that the plastic cover is designed to protrude slightlybeyond the face plane of the door. This affords protection from edgepeeling and tearing of film finishes. It also permits the system to beused without modification with the several thicknesses of glass normallyused, since there is no Specific reference point to control the extentof protrusion.

One preferred method of installation is as follows: The curvedprojection 43 of the plastic cover 40 is inserted into groove 6 of thewood bead 10 which has been previously fastened in place on the door20'. The plastic cover is then rotated forward until hook 42 restsagainst top surface 4 of the wood bead, after which hand pressure isapplied to the plastic cover in a forward and downward rolling motionuntil hook 42 snaps into engagement with groove 5. Hook 42 tapers towardthe end which facilitates engagement. Also, as previously noted, byhaving hook inclined inwardly to a slight degree, intimate contact withthe glazing is attained at the up ermost point. It is also to be notedthat most of the clearances provided on the plastic cover where itencloses the wood bead, are some what undersize as compared with theWood bead itself. This results in holding the cover in tension over thewood bead and thus insures firm attachment. Furthermore, the lowerposition of curved end 43 of the cover is designed to project slightlybelow bottom surface 1 of the wood bead so as to be held in intimatecontact with the edge of the cut-out in the door.

Obviously my cover may be applied to room moldings, such as, base,ceiling, cap, Wainscot, stool, casing, batten, mullion, and cornermoldings.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Assembly adapted to secure a first element to a second element whichconsists of a base bead of a predetermined length, said base beadcharacterized by having; a base side securely affixed to said secondelement by means of fasteners; a rear side adapted to be positionedalong said first element; a front side; a top side; a first indentationextending along said predetermined length between said rear side andsaid top side; a second indentation extending along said predeterminedlength between said base side and said front side, in combination with aplastic element having said predetermined length, said plastic elementhaving at one edge thereof a downwardly and inwardly extendingprojection seated in said first indentation, and having at the otheredge thereof a curved downwardly extending projection seated in saidsecond indentation.

2. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said first element is glassand said second element is a door.

3. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said top side projectsupwardly from said front side to said rear side.

4. Assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said indentations arerectangular indentations.

5. A structure comprising in combination a first element having securedthereto a second element said second element being secured to said firstelement by means of a base bead of a predetermined length characterizedby having; a base side securely aflixed to said first element by meansof fasteners; a rear side adapted to be positioned along said secondelement; a front side; a top .4 side; a first indentation extendingalong said predetermined length and positioned between said rear sideand said top side; a second indentation extending along saidpredetermined length and positioned between said base side and saidfront side; and a snap-0n plastic cover having said predetermined lengthand having at one edge thereof a downwardly and inwardly extendingprojection seated in said first indentation and having at the other edgethereof a curved, downwardly extending projection seated in said secondindentation.

6. Assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein said first element comprises adoor and wherein said second element comprises a glazed element.

7. A structure as defined by claim 6 wherein said curved projectionoverextends the face plane of said door.

8. Assembly as defined by claim 5 wherein said indentations compriserectangular indentations:

9. A structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the ends of saidprojections of said snapon plastic cover are bent toward each other, theend of one projection extending at approximately a angle to the body ofsaid cover, and the other projection curved to form substantially asemicircular arc of over and the thickness of said cover throughout itsentire length and width is in the range of .0312".

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9 wherein the first namedprojection is approximately 7 long, and the second named projection hasa diameter of approximately %2".

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,350 9/1915 Smith 52-498 X1,576,411 3/1926 Creamer 52-716 1,815,696 7/1931 Ball 52-211 2,042,2465/1936 Bailey 52-455 X 2,837,784 6/1958 Jannette 52-400 2,851,742 9/1958Johnston 52-211 3,082,490 3/1963 Loucks 52-624 X 3,130,455 4/1964Borlenghi 52-211 X FOREIGN PATENTS 943,963 12/1963 Great Britain.

ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,478,478 November 18, 1969 Donald F Luebs It is certified that errorappears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 and 4, "assignor toU. S. Plywood-Champion Papers, Inc., should read assignor to U. S.Plywood-Champion Papers Inc.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E. J

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

